This was a struggle for me to get through. I feel like I have read this exact story about 50 times now. I kept thinking it would veer off and become better, but it didn't :(

A predictable but charming book. Doesn't take itself too seriously.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I was very excited for the plot of this book, a young eager assistant hoping to become a book agent one day is sent to “fix” a grumpy, older romance writer’s reputation at a romance book conference, it just fell flat. I like to dabble with age gap romances, but this lacked complexity. Freya seemed immature. Jake was a man child. There was absolutely nothing going on to help light up the story. Instead, the dialogue fell flat and the bulk of the book was told rather than shown. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I was simply not a fan.

This was my first Victoria Walters book, and it completely sucked me in—the kind of romance that wraps you in a cozy blanket of tropes and doesn’t let go. Long Story Short delivers everything you want from a grumpy-sunshine rom-com: sizzling tension, laugh-out-loud banter, and a redemption arc so satisfying you’ll cheer out loud.

Freya, an ambitious but insecure literary assistant, is tasked with babysitting Jake Richards, a bestselling romance author who’s just torpedoed his career by trash-talking the genre and his fans. Cue the enemies-to-lovers sparks as they navigate a high-stakes New York conference, forced proximity, and a deliciously slow burn that had me flipping pages way past bedtime.

What I loved:
The chemistry—Jake’s grumpy exterior vs. Freya’s sunshine optimism is chef’s kiss, especially as their walls start to crumble.
The growth—Freya finding her voice and Jake confronting his cynicism.
The spice—Just the right amount of steamy to balance the emotional depth.

This is a rom-com that nails the balance between witty and heartfelt. The New York setting adds glamour, the publishing-world drama keeps stakes high, and the ending? Pure serotonin.

5/5 stars– A feel-good escape with all the tropes done right.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

In Long Story Short by Victoria Walters, we follow Freya and her journey to becoming a literary agent. Only, in order to prove herself to her boss, she has to accompany the infamous Jake Richards, a once renowned romance author who ruined his reputation by claiming that romance books are 'easy money' and that there's no such thing as a happy endings. Along their week getaway in New York at a romance conference, the two discover that they have much more in common than previously thought. But is their romance bound to last just the week or can it grow it into something more?

Honestly, there were several parts of this book that I was able to predict due to its formulaic structure, but then the book would take other paths that I wasn't quite expecting. The book wasn't hard to read nor had long descriptions, but it was an incredibly fast read filled with a whole bunch of romantic clichés (which is what I was looking for, but I know others might not like their books being too predictable).

In terms of characters, one of the most jarring characteristics of the two protagonists was the age gap (10 years). While, this is completely reasonable in my opinion, some people may not like that aspect. However, anything that went on between the two of them had explicit consent. Jake would never do anything to make Freya uncomfortable, and seeing the amount of consent in the book made me respect Jake a bit more. That being said, the characters are a bit flat and fall into the cliché of a couple made of an older, experienced man and young, inexperienced woman.

While I didn't feel any tension, there were plenty of twists within Freya and Jake's personal and professional lives that made me sympathize with them.

So while this may not be a complex read, the characters and the book itself were enjoyable. There were several times where I wanted there to be a bit more in terms of the descriptions or Jake's own feelings. But overall, I liked reading this book.

I'm giving this book three out of five stars because there was a bit more I wanted to read to make this book feel more relatable or realistic. However, this book was cute and funny.

If you're looking for a feel-good rom-com that takes place within the book publishing industry, I highly recommend this book!

A quick, easy, fun, cute read.
This is very low steaks, low spice, literary, focused romance.
3 1/2 stars bumped up to four because I really enjoyed the setting. As someone who’s never actually been to a book conference it was fun to imagine what it might be like for an author. Especially a disgraced author who’s trying to get their reputation back.
The MMC is older, wiser, recently heartbroken, (but not for reasons you might initially suspect) romance author.
The FMC is a young woman who hopes to become a literary agent and is working as a personal assistant from the eponymous “boss bitch”.
They are sent off loan to New York City, a romance conference in hopes of Revak, his career that a few horrible comments have tanked.
The loss of the fifth star is because of a third act break up. I absolutely hate them and I would really prefer if the couples who supposedly have happily ever after are able to just discuss things as adults instead of breaking up. We all hate a miscommunication trope after all.
And the loss of the half star is just the overall vibe being kind of flat. As somebody who reads a ton of romance novels, I just kinda didn’t feel that this love was all consuming in the way I would have wanted.
I didn’t feel the burn of a true enemies to lovers that I felt was kind of promised by the blurb.

I received this ARC on NetGalley. Freya is our FMC who is an assistant to a literary agent that specializes in romance. She is hopeful to get a promotion to a be a literary agent herself, so whenticed by a trip to NYC to prove herself, she is anxious to prove herself. Unfortunately the job entails saving the dying career of romance writer Jake Richards. I feel this book was quite predictable. The way it built up with her running into Jake just moments after finishing his novel, and discussing it on the phone with her sister while he was as a bystander seems implausible. The writing felt amateurish, “ I left Oxford Circus station and passed by the shops that were a dangerous temptation every day and headed down a side street towards my place of work.” My place of work feels unnecessary when the explanation for her employment is coming up. I was walking to work, trying not to be distracted by the hoping my periphery. At times the story felt too wordy. But the idea is adorable, I like the idea of Freya cracking through Jake’s ice and making him realize romance is for him in the end. Thank you for letting me read this new romance novel.

Long Story Short had all the ingredients for a fun, cozy grumpy/sunshine romance, and I was hoping for a quick feel-good read. While it had potential, the story fell a bit flat for me. The plot was predictable, and the characters, though likable at times, lacked the depth needed to make the romance truly memorable.

This book is the PERFECT read for a holiday. It was so cute and such a quick and easy read, which is exactly what I look for in a romance!! I loved the grumpy x sunshine trope, but most of all I loved the setting of New York, as it was the perfect backdrop to their romance, and I also loved how it was book related, with the characters being authors and literary agents, as they were living out my dreams. The ending was also the cutest thing ever.

Ok so onto things I did not love:
- Some of the comments were slightly misogynistic, which I found infuriating, as it never addressed how wrong some of the conversations between colleagues were and just how the females were treated, such as constantly being hit on. This was my main criticism of the book as I think without it, I would have enjoyed the book a lot more.
- For me the romance also felt brief and a bit rushed, as while there was some development, I just felt that they would go from nothing to being completely together and then vice versa and there was no real evolution in their relationship as they were only together for such a short span of time.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and I devoured it in 1 day, which is always a sign from me. I would definitely recommend you read it, especially if you love grumpy x sunshine romance!!

Thank you so much NetGalley for an early copy of this book :)

a cute little humorous romance read
I love a grumpy/sunshine romance book but it wasn't my absolute fave

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Long Story Short, it was such a cute meet! 🩷

🗽: ⭐⭐⭐✨

The characters are always so realistic in Victoria's novels, i felt like I could easily root for the main characters and I loved how everything was connected from the half mark onwards!

I definitely feel like the sex scenes have improved a lot in this book but still find it hard sometimes to not skip them (honestly, it might just be a me problem)

I thought this was a solid romance and can't wait for the next one!! 🥹


Thank you to Net Galley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance of the release date! It has been an incredible experience and I will most likely read from this author again!

The book was enjoyable and an easy read however there was some cringe text throughout which put me off giving it 5 stars. Predictable but enjoyable

This book had such potential to be a fun romance, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Everything felt predictable. The characters felt very one dimentional to me. Jake and Freya didn't even click for me. I felt no chemistry at all. The age gap just highlighted the flaws of the characters like Jake being immature and Freya being basic. The couple's romance felt forced and not natural. This book wasn't anything special and quite forgettable.

I was really intrigued by the plot summary of this book and was excited to dive in, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. The first 60% felt repetitive and slow, making it difficult to stay engaged. It wasn’t until the latter part of the book that I finally got into the story.

One of my biggest issues was the characterization—while the main character had solid growth (which I appreciated!), the side characters felt underdeveloped and didn’t leave much of an impact. The romance aspect also didn’t quite work for me; I just couldn’t connect with it.

That said, I did enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world, especially the details about literary agents and the author’s process. It added an interesting layer to the book. One suggestion to the publisher: there were a few typos here and there that could use some fixing.

Overall, this had potential, and I liked parts of it, but I just wish the pacing and character depth were stronger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me the ARC.

Long Story Short is a charming, character-driven romance that delivers on plot, banter, and heart—perfect for readers who want something more grounded than your typical office rom-com.

Set in the world of publishing (a refreshing twist!), this felt like a proper peek behind the curtain. Freya, an assistant literary agent, is trying to save the reputation of Jake, a grumpy, bestselling author caught trash-talking romance—and it’s as messy and fun as it sounds.

The slow burn is delicious, the tension is paced beautifully, and the FMC is one readers will root for. There’s minimal spice, but the chemistry crackles.

My only small note: Jake calls Freya “baby” and “cutie” a few times, which didn’t quite fit with the tone of his character. He struck me more as a “sweetheart” or “honey” kind of guy—something a little more rugged and classic.

I would recommend it for readers who enjoy books by Abby Jimenez, Meghan Quinn, or a lower-spice Tessa Bailey. It's a solid four-star read.

Read as an ARC via NetGalley from Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review.

A cute romance between a disgraced romance writer and the wannabe literary agent trying to save his career and progress her own.
Set in New York, it is a whirlwind of the quintessential romance staples - an awkward meet-cute, a lovely dress-up scene, a break from reality date, and a series of misunderstandings or crosses wires. It had funny parts, and the early blurring of lines between being professional and speaking your truth were nicely done.

Ultimately, a fun read, but a little predictable and missing something to make it stand out from it's competitors. However, I enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another work by the author.
I did, also, enjoy the discourse regarding the romance genre in publishing and how it is often belittled in comparison to other genres.

I really enjoyed Long Story Short—it’s such a fun, smart romance with book-loving characters you can’t help but root for. Freya is sharp, confident, and refreshingly unfiltered, making her the perfect match for the infuriatingly charming Jake. I especially loved that both characters share a love for books—it made the story feel even more personal and heartwarming.

This book was not at all what I was hoping it would be. I absolutely hated the MMC and ended up DNF at 51%. I just couldn't anymore.

This book offers a breezy, heartwarming escape, filled with witty banter, endearing mishaps, and just enough chemistry to keep the pages turning. The love interest is suitably charming, with enough depth to make their dynamic engaging, even if some of their conflicts feel a bit predictable.

While the book excels in humor and sweet moments, the protagonist’s personal growth occasionally takes a backseat to the romantic plot. A deeper exploration of their emotional journey could have added more weight to their happily-ever-after.

That said, the supporting cast adds plenty of fun, and the romantic tension is well-paced, making it easy to root for the central couple. The writing is light and engaging, perfect for readers looking for a feel-good story with a few laughs along the way. If you don’t mind a little predictability and enjoy banter-filled romance, this book is a charming pick—just don’t expect too much introspection between the meet-cutes and grand gestures.

That was not good.
This story has so much potential and the premise sounded beguiling. I loved the setting. However, the execution was not on par with expectations. The MMC was rude, misogynistic and plainly annoying. The writing left much to be desired as well.